Tunnel dug out to infiltrate militants collapses on LoC

3 August 2009The Daily ExcelsiorExcelsior Correspondent

JAMMU: In a serious development, Pakistan army and its trained militants had managed to dug out a tunnel from Pakistan's territory linking to fencing on Indian side at village Chaprayal on Line of Control (LoC) in Pallanwalla sector of Akhnoor tehsil to infiltrate militants into this side. However, the tunnel collapsed due to heavy rains overnight and was detected by the security personnel. With the collapse of tunnel, a plot by the Pakistan army to push trained militants into Indian territory has been foiled, official sources said. They disclosed that existence of a tunnel from near Pakistan army's Mango post up to Indian side of fencing at Chaprayal had first surfaced during questioning of two Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) militants in Kupwara district of Kashmir valley last month. These two militants had also revealed a Pakistan plot to target Baglihar power project in Ramban district. google_protectAndRun('ads_core.google_render_ad', google_handleError, google_render_ad); While some reports said that security forces had detected the tunnel after disclosures by the LeT militants but remained silent as they wanted to capture the infiltrators alive when they use the tunnel to enter into Indian territory. However, another report said that existence of tunnel was known only today when it collapsed. Reports said the tunnel collapsed due to heavy rains for the last few days and it's existence became open. The two LeT militants had also disclosed during their questioning that they had been used by Pakistan army in digging the tunnel. Later, they were pushed into the Indian side from Kupwara sector. Sources said digging a tunnel on the LoC to push militants into this side was a rare instance which has come to the fore today. There was, however, no official version from Army on digging of the tunnel. They added that a major plot by Pakistan army, Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and suspected LeT militants to infiltrate through the tunnel has failed with the collapse of tunnel due to rains. Meanwhile, troops of 54 Rashtriya Rifles and police have destroyed a hide-out of the militants at Panji Gali forests in Chasana area of Mahore in Reasi district and recovered a large quantity of arms and explosives. Recoveries made from the hide-out include 16 Chinese hand grenades, two kg RDX, four IEDs, six electronic detonators, two explosive sticks, one Chinese pistol with two magazines and five rounds, six AK magazines, 511 AK rounds, five rounds of 7.62 mm, 52 Pika rounds, one radio set, one I Com antenna and some ration items. Hide-out of the militants has been destroyed, sources said, adding no arrests were made from the spot.